Week 12 MAC Conference Players Of The Week

East DivisionOffensive Player of the Week: Ohio RB A.J. Ouellette
Ohio senior running back A.J. Ouellette (Covington, Ohio) rumbled for a career-high 196 yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries and also caught a touchdown to lead a 52-17 win over Buffalo on Nov. 14. Ouellette rushed for an eight-year touchdown in the second quarter, caught an eight-year touchdown pass from quarterback Nathan Rourke in the third and capped off the scoring for the Bobcats with a 33-yard touchdown run in the fourth.

He posted his third 100-yard rushing performance of the season and 12th of his career. Ouellette has scored a career-high 10 rushing touchdowns in 2018, giving him 30 rushing touchdowns for his career, tying him with Rourke for the third-most in program history.

Defensive Player of the Week: Miami DB Ja’don Rucker Furlow
Miami freshman defensive back Ja’don Rucker-Furlow (Dayton, Ohio) had four tackles, an interception and a forced fumble in a 13-7 win at Northern Illinois. His interception, which occurred in the third quarter, was returned for a 28-yard touchdown, the first of his career. It also spotted Miami a 13-7 lead, a lead the Miami defense would not give up.

Special Teams Player of the Week: Miami K Sam Sloman
Miami junior kicker Sam Sloman (Roswell, Ga.) was nearly perfect in a 13-7 win at Northern Illinois on Wednesday, Nov. 14. Sloman connected on field goals from 30 and 39 yards and added three touchbacks on his four kicks.

West DivisionOffensive Player of the Week: Ball State QB Drew Plitt
Ball State sophomore quarterback Drew Plitt (Loveland, Ohio) threw a career-high three touchdown passes on 21-26 passing for 258 yards in a 42-41 (OT) win over Western Michigan on Nov. 13. Plitt made his second start this season and completed 80.8 percent of his passes (21-of-26), the highest percentage by a Ball State starting quarterback since Keith Wenning completed 81.8 percent (27-of-33) of his passes against Miami (Ohio) on Nov. 29, 2013. He notched a personal-best 22-yard run in the fourth quarter to set up a touchdown and threw a 2-yard touchdown pass in overtime to give the Cardinals a 42-35 lead.

Defensive Player of the Week: Northern Illinois DE Josh Corcoran
Northern Illinois senior defensive end Josh Corcoran (Lakeville, Minn.) posted two quarterback sacks, two tackles for loss and a forced fumble while totaling three solo tackles in a 13-7 loss to Miami on Nov. 14.

Corcoran led the way as the Huskies recorded one of their best defensive games of the year, holding Miami to season lows in total offense (201 yards) and passing yards (107), while giving up just six points – and no touchdowns – to the RedHawks. The defense also limited an opponent to less than 100 yards rushing for the sixth time this year.

Special Teams Player of the Week: Toledo KR/PR Diontae Johnson
Toledo junior punt returner and kickoff returner Diontae Johnson (Ruskin, Fla.) had an 83-yard punt return for a touchdown late in the second quarter gave Toledo a 28-17 lead going into halftime in Toledo’s win at Kent State on Nov. 15. It was his second return touchdown of the season and the fourth of his career, two punt returns and two kickoff returns.